Nottingham Cider

I used the Nottingham yeast on a cider about two weeks ago, here is the recipe.

1.5 Gallons of Wal-Mart brand apple juice
10 Cans Wal-Mart brand frozen apple juice concentrate
2 tsp yeast nutrient
Nottingham packet

I also steeped 10 little packets of Celestial Seasonings peppermint tea when I warmed up the apple juice, so it has a very light and fresh taste to it, but it was still really sweet when I racked it over after a week of fermentation. I kept it out in the garage so it had a relatively cool initial ferment, 55-60 or so that week in the garage. I racked it and brought it back inside in the utility room where it stays above 72 all the time, it has a few bubbles on top but not much, not like an active ferment. I do not do the hydrometer,so no readings. I was just thinking that the Nottingham has crapped out and that I need to pitch a little bit of champage yeast when I bottle so that I can get these carbed and still have some sweet taste to them. I know, bottle bombs that way, but what if I continue to check them after two days and then fridge them all when they get bubbly, I mean you really have to build up some pressure to bomb right?

So 80 views and no ideas or advice here huh? Nice.

Anyway here is what has happened:
I just got finished bottling this cider after another week or so in the warm laundry room. It was bubbling very slowly and had dyed up a bit in taste since the last time I racked it, so I just used about 1/2 cup dextrose to carb them up. This stuff tastes amazing compared to all other ciders I have made. Very light with none of the extra tastes associated with a warmer ferment, and a very fresh taste to it though you cannot really taste the mint or the tea at all, very much apple flavored and still kinda sweet. I now plan to leave it to carb up at 68 in the house for at least 5 days and then check one to see where they are at on the carb scale, all went into swing tops or beer bottles to hold the pressure since I know it was not totally done fermenting.

Hi, this may sound like a dumb question, but with only 1.5 gallons of juice, did you add water to 5 gallons? As to why or how, I have no idea, being a noob. But, it sure sounds like something I would like to try. I wonder how much the cooler temps had to do with it?

Yeah I topped it up to 5 gallons with tap water. I have high hopes for this one, it may be my go-to cider. I think the lower temps kept it from developing so many esters, just like with beer fermentation.